Earlier in the postseason, we brought you news that Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was hoping to return if his club advanced beyond its Divisional Series with the Dodgers. Forget that.
On Thursday, we learned that Strasburg won't pitch in the NLCS, whether the Nats advance on Thursday night or not:
If the Nats win tonight, Dusty says Strasburg would not be ready for the NLCS.
— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) October 13, 2016
This news comes just a few days after Strasburg had a bullpen session cut short due to arm discomfort.
Obviously this is a blow to the Nationals' championship aspirations. Baker had talked earlier in the series about how Strasburg's presence was missed, and it's hard not to wonder how the series would've played out if he had been healthy. It's also a gut punch in general. Strasburg remains one of baseball's most exciting pitchers, yet there's a real chance he'll miss an entire postseason for the second time in his career.
Of course, with a winner-take-all Game 5 looming in the coming hours, the Nationals don't have much time to mope. But yeah, no matter your rooting allegiances, this news stinks for baseball.
